LinuxIT using Lindows, Ximian in custom desktops

UK-based LinuxIT recently announced it had released the "Professional Open Desktop" series, calling it a solution designed for "organizations with non-technical staff." The company is offering a standard version, based on Lindows, and an enterprise version that makes use of Ximian standards.

Peter Dawes-Huish, sales director for LinuxIT, says that his company has an advantage because it isn't tied into one package. "We are agnostic with regard to hardware platforms and software components," says Dawes-Huish. "Our aim is to provide the very best solutions" and so the company will pick and choose from available options -- like Lindows and Ximian -- and further customize them to suit the customer's demands.

This approach has helped the company in the UK market. Dawes-Huish claims that LinuxIT is the most pervasive Linux presence there. "It is actually our support and infrastructure that underpins most of the major systems integrators in the UK who have any sort of Linux offering -- from companies like IBM to solution providers," he says.

LinuxIT has an agreement with Lindows that is based on the Lindows Builder Program, says Dawes-Huish. "We have a relationship with Lindows whereby we will be sending them money associated with each implementation," he say. "At the moment it's more based on the Insider program, but the mechanism for the licensing is through the Builder program. As we progress, it will be more commercial."

The enterprise version of the desktop is a Ximian mod. "We have an arrangement with Ximian at this stage as a reseller," says Dawes-Huish, "and we are discussing with Ximian where the future of that relationship should be. We have some requests from our customer base about how Ximian should interact with other products -- we expect that it will become more of an OEM relationship."

Dawes-Huish stresses that most of the desktops that go out of the shop are customized to the specific needs of the client, even though the starting point is pure Lindows or Ximian.

LinuxIT apparently is working on a deal with carmaker Ferrari. "We're in the process of implementing a structure [with them]." Dawes-Huish says the deal is hush-hush right now, but LinuxIT expects to release official news in the next few weeks, as well as a case study or two.

© Newsforge.com

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